Colin Bidwell Wins Unibet UK Poker Tour Brighton for £11,540

A prize of £11,540 ($15,242) plus a €2,000 Unibet Open Bucharest package was claimed by Colin Bidwell after he topped the field to emerge victorious at the 2017 Unibet UK Poker Tour Brighton.

That €2K package came as compliments of Unibet Poker, an addition to the prize pool that required Bidwell to overcome a field of 316 that swelled the £40,000 guarantee to £63,200 ($83,472). It was the second largest cash of Bidwell's career after a runner-up finish in May in the £440 Genting Poker Series Main Event that resulted in a payday of £22,000 ($28,467).

At Brighton's Rendezvous Casino, Bidwell rendezvoused with the two remaining players, Tom Simm and Sachin Joshi, as the trio agreed to a deal that saw all three collect an equal share of £11,540. That deal-making took place about an hour after the triumvirate had dispatched of all the other players, leaving the €2K package for the winner.

Missed Flush Draw

Joshi was sent to the rail by Bidwell when his flush draw came up empty on fourth and fifth street, giving Colin the pot with top pair. It was Joshi's best day at live tournament poker money-wise, with the $15,242 score boosting his career earnings to over $37K.

That left Bidwell and golf pro Tom Simm to fight for the championship. Simm was on par to double up when he went all-in with his pocket fives and the flop completely missed the Q-10 offsuit of Bidwell.

But a queen on the turn gave Bidwell the better pair and ended Simm's quest for the title. It was the golfer's second runner-up finish at Brighton in consecutive years after his just miss at the 2016 Grand Prix Poker Tour $109 Main Event for $24,000.     

2017 Unibet UK Poker Tour Brighton - £220 NLHE - Final Table Results

Bidwell will be staying at the JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel for the Unibet Open Bucharest festival that is set for Nov. 29 - Dec. 3. The next stop for the Unibet UK Poker Tour 2017 will be in Manchester from Dec. 8-10 at the Manchester235 Casino.